Providence Bruins' opening weekend proved that training camp cuts provided motivation

The Providence Bruins' top six looked like they were on a mission to prove the front office wrong in their two opening weekend games.
Boston Bruins v Washington Capitals
Boston Bruins v Washington Capitals | Patrick Smith/GettyImages

The Providence Bruins' training camp revealed a team that was easily one of the favorites to contend for a Calder Cup. After the Boston Bruins selected their opening night roster, Providence was left with some considerable talent, including two of the leading scorers from last year's AHL season and NHL fringe players like Matthew Poitras and Fabian Lysell.

It's one thing to look like a dominant team on paper, but it's another to show it once the regular season starts. The Bruins hoped that the training camp cuts would provide extra motivation for those who were sent to Providence, but it's hard to predict what that can do for a player's psyche. Through Providence's first two games, it seems like those players are using it as fuel.

Georgii Merkulov wasn't one of the favorites to break camp with the Bruins, but he was the first of the prospects to make his mark on the season. He scored the first goal of the season on an assist from Matej Blumel, and then assisted on Blumel's overtime winner. While it was a successful Bruins debut for Blumel, who was likely blindsided by his cut, Merkulov led the team with a goal and two assists.

The first game was a bit disappointing for Poitras and Lysell, but it was their turn to step up in Game 2. Lysell scored a minute into the game on an assist from Poitras, which was his first of three goals for the hat trick. While a hat trick is a great motivator for Lysell in a season where the Bruins finally need him to break through, Poitras also added four assists for the first example of him showing the front office that he is too good to be in the AHL.

It'll take many more games like this for the Bruins to give them the full-time call-up to the NHL, but if that doesn't come this year, the team's lethal talent up front should give fans a reason to start setting their sights on the Calder Cup. They have two first lines with the Blumel-Locmelis-Merkulov and Lysell-Poitras-Steeves trios, and the lines stepping up for a game each is an excellent sign for the team's outlook for the rest of the season.

Loading recommendations... Please wait while we load personalized content recommendations